Category: Hands & Nails Products

Chanel Spring 2011: Pearl Drop

Chanel Pearl Drop Le Vernis Nail Colour ($23.00 for 0.4 fl. oz.) is a softened white gold frost with a slight metallic finish, sprinkled with pale gold micro-shimmer. There is something about this that reminds me of two things: brides and

CHANEL LE VERNIS is a pricey product that often comes out with more unique shades (that are later replicated by other brands). The originality or amount of depth in their shades is what often pulls me towards them. Overall, I’ve had good luck with the formula and wear. The formula tends to be on the thicker side but not so thick it’s gloppy, while I typically get a full week’s worth of wear (and just minor tip wear).

Pearl Drop stays true to past Chanel lacquers; the same slightly thicker formula with decent pigmentation, but this is a shade that seems designed to be worn sheer. I used two coats, and you could definitely try a third, but I think there was enough visible nail line at two that there would still be some at three. If you want a more opaque effect, try wearing a base polish underneath (like a white) to make it pop.

Edited @ 8:21AM: Sorry… swatches should be fixed! I was sleeping so I wasn’t able to get them faster – really sorry all for screwing up so badly! 🙁

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Product: 27/30

Value: 6/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: I really like this shade, but I’m personally a fan of golds and white golds in general, so I find it a very flattering shade against my warm skin tone. I do think that this shade can be found in other brands, though, so you may want to check your stash first.

Chanel Spring 2011: Black Pearl

Chanel Black Pearl Le Vernis Nail Colour ($23.00 for 0.4 fl. oz.) is a stormy teal-tinged blackened base with threads of metallic silvered green running through it, then topped off with green, blue, and teal micro-shimmer. This has a rather metallic finish, so brush strokes are apparent, but the formula works well enough that with some patience and steady hand, the brush strokes can be pulled out evenly and made to look like brushed metal. (I, on the other hand, lack steady hands–or patience–and wobbled a bit.)

LE VERNIS is a pricey product that often comes out with more unique shades (that are later replicated by other brands). The originality or amount of depth in their shades is what often pulls me towards them. Overall, I’ve had good luck with the formula and wear. The formula tends to be on the thicker side but not so thick it’s gloppy, while I typically get a full week’s worth of wear (and just minor tip wear).

Black Pearl seemed a little thicker than normal for Chanel, but each coat was pigmented, and I only needed two coats for opaque color. The only similar shades I could think of were China Glaze’s Rodeo Fanatic (way too blue to be similar) and NARS’ Full Metal Jacket (which is similar in the finish and look/feel, but not the color).

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Product: 26/30

Value: 6/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

FINAL THOUGHTS: I couldn’t come up with any dead-on dupes, so perhaps Chanel has another unique shade on their hands. The formula applied fine, but I’ve never been a big fan of brush strokes. I could see this being a must-have for Chanel lacquer fans, but it might not hold the same appeal to others.

MAC Cham-Pale: Very Important Platinum Nail Lacquer

MAC Very Important Platinum Nail Lacquer ($13.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is a a metallic pewter with silver micro-shimmer strewn it. It has a frost finish, and MAC officially describes it as a “dirty platinum.” Like Soiree, I found the finish to be much more metallic than that of a typical frost, and it has the brush strokes to prove it! Shown here with two coats, I found it impossible not to have far too many brush strokes messing up the overall look of the polish. I was disappointed in the consistency, too, which was thick and gloppy. The color is gorgeous (I love pewter anything!), but the formula itself is one of MAC’s worst in the past couple years–and I like MAC’s lacquers in general.

MAC Cham-Pale is a limited edition launch (official information and photos here) that is set to launch in-stores on December 26th in North American, January 2011 for international MAC locations. The approximate launch date for online is December 24th. It features color products as well as a few skincare items.

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MAC Cham-Pale: Soiree Nail Lacquer

MAC Soiree Nail Lacquer ($13.00 for 0.50 fl. oz.) is a is a bright, light bronze metallic-frost with flecks of copper shimmer-glitter. It has a frost finish, and MAC officially describes it as a “sparkly light bronze gold.” While it’s a frost finish, it is also a bit metallic. This is really pigmented–swatches are shown with just one coat–and really easy to work with. It dries down quicker than most MAC polishes. It initially reminded me of Dior’s Timeless Gold, but it’s nowhere near it–warmer, darker, bronzer. Zoya’s Austine is the closest dupe I could come up with, but the finish is quite different, and Soiree is darker.

MAC Cham-Pale is a limited edition launch (official information and photos here) that is set to launch in-stores on December 26th in North American, January 2011 for international MAC locations. The approximate launch date for online is December 24th. It features color products as well as a few skincare items.

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 🙂

Product: 29/30

Value: 8/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: This was so easy to work with, and the pigmentation was incredible. Very festive, too!

A Quick Look at Le Metier de Beaute Nail Lacquers

Noble Passion is a deep, iridescent navy blue with brightened blue-violet shimmer. This is a really cool shade. It glows in natural light as well as full light–not something every polish can do! It was almost pigmented enough in one coat, but I used two. It was reminiscent of Orly’s Lunar Eclipse, but while there are some similarities, they do look different and have totally opposite finishes. I also felt like a comparison could be made to Rescue Beauty Lounge’s Scrangie in the kind of feel–but the two are not the same in color at all.

High Wire is a mauve-tinged silvered gray with a metallic finish. With the more metallic finish, I did get brush strokes, but color was incredibly pigmented with just one coat used here. I couldn’t think of any dupes for this shade.

Magic at Dusk is a muted beige-pink with coppered gold shimmer. Two coats. I couldn’t think of any dupes for this shade.

Dynamique is an ultra deep, dark burgundy-red cream. Just one coat. It is similar to Essie’s Velvet Voyeur but with more red.

Le Metier de Beaute’s Nail Lacquers come an undoubtedly painful price point. These are tiny little bottles with still-hefty price tags, but the formula is dreamy. It’s not too thick or thin, but what stands out is the pigmentation–very rich, intense pigment in nearly one stroke. I think if I was a little more careful, I could have made some of these one coaters. I was able to get a full week’s worth of wear with just minor tip wear.

Welcome to Swatch-all-idays! To start 2011 off on the right foot (or post, as it may be!), Temptalia is going through a backlog of products we have photographed, swatched, and often tested but in a slightly different manner. Quick reviews may be partially incomplete, such as a blush may only be swatched on the arm rather than shown on the face. It is our hope that what we are able to provide is still helpful!

If you want to know more about how products are evaluated, read out Rating System FAQ! 🙂

Product: 29/30

Value: 6/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: From these four, I think three of them are really interesting shades–so in that respect, I liken this brand to Chanel. It’s a luxury brand, so if it’s something within your budget, I think they’re worth a look–especially now that the brand has increased their distribution channels.

NARS Holiday 2010: Bad Influence

NARS Bad Influence Nail Polish ($16.00 for 0.5 fl. oz.) is a mushroom brown. It is one of two limited edition nail polishes from NARS for the holidays (the other being Pokerface). I have heard others compare this shade to Chanel Particuliere, but I find Particuliere grayer and less brown (I don’t comparison swatches, because I gave mine away). The are definitely similar, more so in natural lighting, perhaps 90% similarity. I only needed two coats to get creamy, opaque color.

I’ve had good luck with NARS polish in terms of wear–about a week with just minor tip wear but no chipping. Bad Influence wasn’t too thick or thin (but it is on the thinner side), and I didn’t experience any bubbling.

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Product: 28/30

Value: 8/10

Ease of Use: 4/5

Packaging: 4/5

RECOMMENDATION: If Particuliere wasn’t in your budget, NARS is a good alternative that’ll save you a few bucks.